Chefs ‘Pick it, Cook it, Eat it’ at Community Farm
Glorious sunshine glistening on Chew valley lake provided a stunning backdrop for the fourth Chefs’ Forum event on Monday the 20th August, held in a tipi on The Community Farm at Chew Magna. The cream of Bristol and Bath’s top chefs and catering students gathered alongside local producers and suppliers for a meeting of minds, knowledge swap and ‘Pick it, Cook it, Eat it chefs’ challenge’ led by Josh Eggleton and Toby Gritten.
Guests were welcomed by Chefs’ Forum Founder Committee member Josh Eggleton of the Michelin starred Pony and Trap (a field away), then handed over to passionate Farm Manager Andy Dibben, who, after an introduction to the farm proceeded to lead Forum Member Chefs on a tour of his crops. Foraging expert Toby Gritten (The Pumphouse) also show-cased the hidden bounty nature has to offer growing in and amongst the cultivated fruit and vegetables!
The attending chefs were then challenged by Josh to create a dish using gathered and foraged produce to accompany the freshly cut steak BBQ provided by local butcher Nigel Buxton following his steak butchery demonstration.
Pick it, Cook it, Eat it from The Chefs’ Forum on Vimeo.
The Chefs’ Forum launched in January 2012 and has since expanded to include highly accredited chefs, catering colleges and top suppliers on a South West regional level.
Catherine Farinha, Founder Committee Member of The Chefs’ Forum and event organiser stated:
We are so lucky to have such a naturally beautiful venue like on our doorstep. The Chefs, most of whom were on their only day off, relished the opportunity to meet with their peers, network and find out about the provenance of the fantastic vegetables available from this unique growing project at The Community Farm. It is also important to educate chefs as to the detrimental effect adverse weather conditions can have on the annual harvest – this year has been the worst since its inception.
Andy Dibben added:
‘It would be like you chefs collapsing a soufflé, then inviting everybody in to come and see it. That’s how I feel about showing you around the farm today but I also hope to show you how good it could be given the right conditions – It’s important to learn about the good as well as the bad in terms of growing’.
The Community Farm grow organic vegetables on 22 acres of land in the Chew Valley just south of Bristol. From here, it operates a vegetable box delivery scheme, as well as providing wholesale supplies to local eateries. Open days as also on offer as well as courses and volunteering opportunities to promote knowledge and understanding of sustainable farming and food provenance.
Alison Belshaw, Community Farm Project Director commented:
“The Community Farm was delighted to welcome the chefs – it brought a real buzz to the Farm. Our farm manager, Andy Dibben, gave them a tour – and let them know how tough this year had been for growers because of the weather. We’re now looking at adding a ‘Chef’s Box’ to our range of vegetable boxes so that restaurants can order the freshest and best in seasonal organic veg direct from us and we hope to supply some of the Chefs’ Forum members – many expressed a real interest in buying from us.”
Suitable footwear for the occasion was provided by event sponsor Hunter Boots, and a talk on responsible shooting by Chef James Graham of Allium restaurant, Fairford, further enhanced the rural tone.
The Chefs’ Forum is sponsored by some great brands including Bristol Audi, Champagne Taittinger and Total Produce. Our partners include fabulous local companies like Lovely Drinks, Bramley & Gage, Clifton Food Range and A.David.
New Forum Member Gary Gardener, Head Chef at Combe Grove Manor, Bath said of The Chefs’ Forum:
‘This fantastic movement has been a long time coming and opening up communication channels is something really positive for the industry’.
The Chef’s Forum is a group of 150 chefs in the South West, all recognised in their industry, with awards including Michelin Stars and AA Rosettes. Led by Catherine Farinha , Josh Eggleton and Chris Wicks and Adrian Kirikmaa of City of Bristol College.
Members present at the well- attended the event at the farm included Sam Moody of the Bath Priory, the chefs from The Ethicurian, and The Star and Dove team, who have recently added the Totterdown Shakespeare to their portfolio.
Devon Launch at Southernhay House 21st May 2012
Top Devon Chefs’ attended a sunny launch of The Chefs’ Forum at the beautiful Southernhay House in Exeter yesterday. It is a very exciting time to be involved in the catering and hospitality industry in Devon. The ongoing success of The Chefs’ Forum in Bristol meant that Devon chefs welcomed the launch of their own regional chapter of the prestigious and popular networking group for chefs, suppliers and local catering colleges.
Headed up by local food heroes Simon Hulstone (The Elephant, Torquay) and Peter Gorton (Gorton’s of Tavistock), The Chefs’ Forum aims to bring together the three groups and harness the great culinary talent and knowledge in the area as well as offering excellent networking opportunities to young student chefs. The project is expanding after a hugely successful launch in Bristol where channels of communication were opened up between the catering industry, education and suppliers – a need that was established by food marketing consultants Catherine Farinha and Abby Allen in talking to education, industry and trade. The Forum runs all year and is punctuated by quarterly networking events in both Bristol and Devon.
The Chefs’ Forum events will be held at venues designed to showcase the best elements of the industry: From top end hotels and restaurants to meat and vegetable farms and College training restaurants.
Peter Gorton does a great deal of mentoring work with budding chefs and says that he is “Really happy to be involved as any initiative which enhances learning in enthusing and motivating young people to join the hospitality industry as a career choice is fantastic!”
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Throughout the year, The Forum will serve as a knowledge bank to provide information on everyday professional needs from recruitment to produce and equipment. It will also enlist talented young apprentices from the local catering colleges into member restaurants and providing students with a unique opportunity to see how the industry works. Each gathering will host interesting and exciting speakers, demonstrations and quality local producers. Quality suppliers will be invited to showcase their wares which will help support the use of their products in Devon’s top restaurants.
Both Exeter College and City College Plymouth are excited to be involved as means that their gifted young catering students are able to mingle with top chefs from the area and understand more about how the industry works as well as having the opportunity to secure apprenticeships and work experience that previously took more effort to organise.
Simon Hulstone, at The Elephant said “All good chefs have benefited from good mentors and role models at some point in their career and it’s hugely important to help inspire the next generation. Whether it’s through an apprenticeship or a week’s work experience at The Elephant, I find it very rewarding to help young chefs build their confidence and to see firsthand how hard work, determination and passion pays off. The Chefs’ Forum is a great initiative which brings together all the best bits of the local catering scene – I’m proud to be a part of it.”
Hew Southcott, Deputy Head of Faculty Hospitality & Catering at Exeter College added, “Staff and students from the Hospitality and Catering department are really excited about the launch of the Devon Forum. The students will really benefit from the range of opportunities offered by The Chefs’ Forum. It is important that our students gain up to date industry-related skills and this will be another opportunity for them to be able to network with top chefs and producers which will help them to secure work experience and apprenticeships”
Helen Marshall from City College Plymouth is also delighted to be joining The Chefs’ Forum and concludes,“We are delighted to be part of this essential link between the college and industry colleagues so that together we can raise the profile of Devon Chefs and promote all the industry has to offer as a first choice career. The pro-active and collaborative approach offered by the forum will support the future skills needs of the sector and provide the best possible training opportunities for young people leading to employment”.
CoBC hosted Bristol’s 2nd Chefs Forum event 14th May 2012
City of Bristol College hosted the second Chefs’ Forum event, an exciting event that brought top chefs, local producers and suppliers together as they showcased new techniques and shared catering industry best practice and knowledge.
Catherine Farinha, Chefs’ Forum Founder and Coordinator stated that she is: “overwhelmed by sponsors’ and chefs’ willingness to back the initiative get involved in donating their time, equipment and produce. Chefs’ demonstrations enhance the learning of Catering and Hospitality students. The top-end equipment donated will enable them to practice in a kitchen that better resembles the professional kitchens in which they will be serving apprenticeships and work experience placements.
Celebrity chef Martin Blunos officially opened the College’s revamped demonstration kitchen. Chris Wicks, Head Chef from Bells Diner, was the first to use the new kitchen as he demonstrated sous vide cooking, a complex French technique of cooking using a Clifton Food Range water bath (also kindly donated to the college by Nickel Electro).Local charcutiere, Vince Castellano demonstrated the art of charcuterie with two whole sides of pork contributed free of charge by Buxton’s Butchers. This is the culinary art of salting, smoking and curing different cuts of meat.
The demonstration kitchen is used as part of the teaching for students undertaking catering courses at the College, allowing learners to practice their skills as they are learning. Beautiful food photography by Tim Martin adorns the walls of apprentice students in action, chefs, dishes and Chefs’ Forum Suppliers.
The 40 chefs involved have been recognised for their expertise in the food industry with prestigious accreditations including Michelin Stars, AA Rosettes and Good Food Guide awards. Top chefs involved in The Chefs’ Forum include Josh Eggleton from the Michelin-starred Pony and Trap, Toby Gritten from the award-winning The Pumphouse (recently featured on Jamie’s Britain), Chris Wicks from Bells Diner and Sam Moody from Bath Priory.
Adrian Kirikmaa, Restaurant and Chef Manager at City of Bristol College, commented: “This event is an excellent opportunity for our students to meet and learn from industry experts who excel in the catering field as well as allowing us to showcase the excellent facilities we have here for our students.”
